01 September, 2010

In the fast paced life that we lead today, do we ever stop to think of all those little things that give our heart that lift. There are so many “uppers” that we have but in the mechanical life that we lead today, these get pushed to the sub conscious and at times the unconscious mind. They are there in the periphery of our thought consciousness but more often than not, we fail to realize it.

This tag from Scarlett made me think of my little “uppers” – those little things in life that definitely make my heart sing, bring a smile to my face and lo and behold – the world suddenly seems to be a much better place. The eyes light up, the heart sings and the feet long to dance to an unknown, unheard tune and the eyes paint a picture of their own. And I do have to thank dear Scarlett for having made me take this delightful trip within the recesses of my own heart.

What are these things that make my heart sing ? Well, here are some .....

A baby cooing, gurgling and grinning one of those toothless smiles. Oh ! The sheer beauty of that innocence is breathtaking and makes one want to believe in the goodness of life, all over again, each and every time.

Walking barefoot on grass that is still damp from the early morning dew. Revel in what nature has to offer. There is something so soothing about walking on grass barefoot. I cannot quite put it into words here. It is a very mellow feeling, the damp grass feels as though it is sensitive to your need to commune with nature, which contrasts so nicely with the kind of insensitivity that one comes face to face with, at almost every nook and corner.

Walking in the rain – without an umbrella. One of those simple pleasures of life that is missed more often than not – simply because we humans mechanically reach out for our umbrellas every time the sky is cloudy while all nature wants is to wash away all that tiredness and act as a soothing balm every time the skies decide to open up and pour their hearts out.

The sight of Macadamia and Pecan, just awake, still sleepy eyed, hair all tousled. Children may grow up, they do grow up – they don’t remain babies forever. But one look at them early in the morning and one is convinced that however old they may get – they’re always going to be “your babies”.

Solving Crossword puzzles and Sudoku puzzles. There’s nothing like a good challenge to get those brain cells buzzing and then there is always that pleasure, that enjoyment of having solved a puzzle that seemed to be just out of your reach. They make you stretch beyond what you thought was possible and in that very contest, lies the fun.

Birds cheep cheep cheeping furiously in the early hours of the morn. These little creatures are so inspiring, are they not. They are up at the break of dawn and they are so full of energy that it is difficult to sit around moaning, groaning and griping about all that’s wrong with the world when these little creatures are chirping all around you. They uplift not just the heart but the very soul itself.

Music – soft, soothing, a balm. Music is another one of those things that never fails to comfort and grant solace. When I’m alone at home, music also acts as a companion, affording the comfort of a fellow traveller, if I may, within the confines of my home. Music, many a times, also acts as a travel companion, for music carries my heart to places afar, places I’ve never visited but within my heart, music carries me away and tucks me into a cozy corner.

Cooking yummy food / Baking – cakes, cookies, brownies – you name it. There is something so awesomely therapeutic about mixing a batch of cookie dough or cake batter right from scratch. As the batch of baked goodies begin to take shape and as the aroma of freshly baked goodies begins to fill the entire space of home, the world seems an infinitely better place to be in. The same goes for cooking. As you watch a recipe take shape and smell the aroma - the spices distinct yet blending in and fusing with each other to perfection, it's a comfort zone par excellence.

The way Macadamia and Pecan’s eyes light up at the sight of freshly baked goodies / yummy food. Nothing, absolutely nothing can beat that gratifying feeling that fills the heart when I see them whooping with joy or grinning with what I can only describe as sheer pleasure at the sight of freshly baked goodies. Not to mention the way their eyes close in contentment and a smile plays on their lips as they bite into a freshly baked cookie or a brownie. Totally makes my day.

The nutty family playing UNO together – The simple pleasure of playing UNO together, as a family. Since school reopened, UNO has been relegated to weekend evenings only, for the nutty siblings are way too tired on weekday evenings to even contemplate a game of UNO. Guess who misses UNO most now on weekday evenings ? No two guesses, huh ? !

Hugs, Hugs and More Hugs. I don’t think I need to say anything more here.

The aroma of freshly baked bread. It reminds me of Sundays during early childhood. Sunday mornings meant a visit to the local bakery. I used to walk to the bakery with my father, my hand in his, to buy some freshly baked buns. I still remember the aroma of freshly baked bread in the bakery then and the way it used to encompass and fill my senses even then. More than anything, it was the walk from home to the bakery and back. We would talk about all sorts of immaterial things while walking to and from the bakery and now looking back, those were some of the happiest moments of my childhood.

Babies toddling around – like vehicles without brakes. Very adventurous lot, these. What makes me smile is the fact that they take the world by its horns, not a care in the world as to the consequences. What carries them on that toddle around, what keeps them going is nothing but sheer faith. These babies have faith in themselves and in the world around them. Something we adults could take a page out of, every now and then. Faith – what a ring of strength that little word carries.

Breeze – ever so gentle that it feels like Mother Nature is out to caress all your worries away. And what fun it is when the breeze turns into a gust of wind – it makes me want to spread my arms and take flight, soar in the open skies like a bird. The body may not but the heart definitely soars when it senses Mother Nature beckoning with open arms.

Sunshine – automatically lifts my spirits. It is instinctive, it is unconscious. The spirits soar unthinkingly when it sees a sunny day and blue skies. It creates a feeling of cheeriness that simply refuses to give way to grumpiness, even if one tries really hard.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee – no better way to start the day. A whole load of goodness and decadence – the very aroma makes the heart sing.

Daily prayers – they fill me with a sense of peace. The mind becomes still and in that stillness I find it so much easier to find the tranquillity, the serenity and the harmony that I seek. It nourishes and fills the soul with a sense of purpose and provides the soul, strength.

I can go on and on, for there is plenty more to say. But I’ll stop here for now, for I run the risk of putting you, dear reader, to sleep. We wouldn’t want that to happen now, would we ?

So tell me, Dear Reader, what are those little things in life that uplift your soul and makes you believe in the fact that this world is, after all, a happy place, if we choose to believe and make it so.

Yes, those toothless smiles ... maybe I'll never understand why a baby's smile has such a profoundly positive impact. I could be having the worst day ever and it be completely overcome by a single smile from our daughter.

About Me

I don many hats - a daughter, a wife, a mom to two (and still sane, by the way) and a full time teacher, to mention a few.
Writing has always been one of my passions and continues to be my mode of expressing my feelings, thoughts in my personal space.
This blog was essentially started, way back in 2006, to pen down the little tidbits,memoirs of The Nutty Siblings - Macadamia and Pecan's childhood.
Now, with the kids having grown up, the blog has indeed become a space where I pen down my thoughts as and when they demand to be penned down.
I love satire in all its aspects and of late, have embarked on a satirical journey on this blog, with regard with TamBrahm weddings. Many parts have already been penned and there are many more to come.
As life’s train chugs along, bringing along with it our share of the good’s, the bad’s and the in-between’s, as the kids grow up and we grow older, the little chronicles on Tiny Tidbits will hopefully continue to serve as those little windows , a little time machine that takes us on a humorous, engrossing trip, back in time.